I skitter through the maze of Riverpoint, like a rat sniffing out the sort of cheese that smells like a degree … a better job … a new life. Goes great with a good Cabernet. My reflection changes with each identical plate-glass window I pass. Am I an Eagle? Am I a Cougar, a Pirate or a Husky? Or just another off-the-track number lookin’ for a ticket outta Recession Station?

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The Academic Center is your hub for campus information. Need a book? Need a loan? The center will guide you toward the right information.

THE WORLD IS YOUR PLAYGROUND
It’s difficult to carve out a niche on campus. Abandon the WSU or EWU titles. Ignore Gonzaga completely. The rest of the city is too obsessed with them anyway. Take advantage of the urban campus, and mingle downtown.

USE YOUR POWERS WISELY
The Riverpoint campus doesn’t cater to your typical pockmarked 18-year-olds. You might not fit the college demographic and you might be ostracized for gray hair, but use your powers wisely. Just because you’re 40, have a mortgage and a five-year plan doesn’t mean you can’t get trashed after finals.

SUMMON ALLIES HERE
When in doubt, stick to Main Avenue. Here you’ll find Spokane’s best independent movie theater, The Magic Lantern. If you’re in dire need of superhero friends, Merlyn’s Comics is right next door.

POWER UP HERE
If you’re looking for a quick, greasy fix, head to Perkins. The Globe has the best $7 burgers in town, Zola serves a surprisingly unique lunch menu ($7-10) and Main Market Co-op has the corner on great deli food. Head to Dolce and the Rocket Bakery for a pick-me-up. If you sweat through your dress shirt before the big presentation, Goodwill on Third has you covered with a $5 button-up.

FORTRESSES OF SOLITUDE
Most people don’t hang around campus, so you’re blessed with quiet lobbies. If you need to get out for a while, head to the Healing Garden next to the nurses building for a nature sedative, or the Community Building lobby for some artwork and solitude.

SECRET PARKING LOCATION
Your car is the enemy downtown. The campus is surrounded by commercial space — that will gladly tow you during first period — and Gonzaga University. Expensive two-hour meters line the front of most buildings. Either buy a bus pass or use your own two legs.